The Ship of Dreams
by MidnightAngel30
Summary: Titanic AU/AH. Need I say more?
1. All Aboard

The streets of Southampton were bustling with people and cars alike. The horns blew loudly as drivers urged everyone to move quickly out of their way. People were waving and watching as others boarded what most were calling the "ship of dreams."

The Titanic was the new, unsinkable ship that everyone couldn't wait to travel on. Where was it traveling to, exactly, on this bright, sunny day? New York City.

The massive ocean liner floated on the clear waters; patiently awaiting it's departure. Crewmen were everywhere, lifting many cars, and suitcases to the ship's decks. The maiden voyage was the most talked about event in town.

And Caroline Forbes was to be apart of that very event.

Tyler's sleek, black car pulled up along the docks, after braving the throng of people standing idly around. Caroline was not from The U.K, and was heading back to New York City with her fiancé, Tyler Lockwood. And oh how he was excited to show her the Titanic too. How it worked, what everyone said about it, how elegant the dining halls would be, and so on and so forth. Frankly, she found it to be quite dull. She didn't see what the entire hubbub was about.

As the car stopped, she looked out her window, observing everything that was going on around her. It was certainly the spectacle.

Her car door soon opened for her by a gentleman whose name she did not know. Caroline offered her gloved hand to him, and gracefully stepped outside onto the street. Her purple, wide brimmed hat blocked the sun's harsh rays from touching her porcelain skin. She wore an exquisite striped ensemble, which displayed her status for all to see. No one would be mistaking her for second or third class.

"Isn't it marvelous, Caroline?" Tyler asked her, in awe of the ship before them.

"I suppose. It doesn't look much bigger than The Wolfsbane though," she stated with disinterest.

"Are you kidding?" he asked excitedly. "It's over a hundred feet longer than The Wolfsbane. Far more luxurious, and twice the ship that dreadful boat could ever be! God himself could not sink this ship!"

She gave the tiniest of shrugs, turning to face what would take her back to New York. A place she was all too unhappy about returning to.

"Is this truly the ship that everyone is going on about?" she heard her mother, Liz, ask from somewhere behind her.

"It is," she said quietly, still refusing to believe they would be boarding so soon. Caroline wanted more time in Southampton. She didn't want to go back to America. Not yet.

Tyler, and his personal butler, Mason, began directing crewmen to take their luggage from the cars, and place it in their assigned cabins. Afterward, Tyler caught up with the two women, and began walking toward the boat's entrance with them.

"You shall see, Caroline. We will have a grand time. No experience after will ever live up to the standards of Titanic."

"I'm sure," she mumbled, still not as impressed as her fiancé. He was probably so excited because his father was responsible for the ship. If it weren't for him, the development of it may not have been pushed.

Caroline watched as the lower class passengers (men, women, and children alike), went through a thorough inspection for any illnesses, and physical injuries they might carry. Anything at all that wouldn't allow them entry into the United States. Since she was first class, and American, Caroline and her family were able to bypass that precaution.

Tyler slowed down so that he was able to lock arms with her. Together, they crossed the boardwalk behind her mother, to enter the ship that he hadn't been able to stop talking about for months. This was his pride and joy, and he didn't even have a thing to do with its construction.

It all went by in a daze for Caroline, as they began walking through the fine hallways, and lavish quarters. All she could think about was going home, if she could even call it that, to her imminent demise. It was there she would marry Tyler, and throw what freedom she had out a window. That's right.

Caroline did not want to marry Tyler. But that was her little secret.

Her mother thought everything was going according to their plan. _Her_ plan. She pushed for this marriage more than even Tyler did. He only wanted her for her beauty, and for her name. Caroline's father had died and left her, and her mother, with nothing but the Forbes name. The rest had gone to his secret lover. So it was up to Caroline to use what they had left to their advantage. It wasn't much, but people knew Bill Forbes had been a rich man.

Tyler Lockwood was a very wealthy man too. Not the richest aboard this ship per se, but if she married him, Caroline would never have to worry about where she would be six months from now. She would never have to worry about her mother dying an old, depressed spinster. Liz would be happy, and that was something Caroline wanted to see. Despite everything the widow put her through, for the sake of keeping their place by Tyler's side.

So she played dress up, and she kept her manners in check wherever she went, but this was not the life she wanted. Caroline didn't want to be a kept woman, whose only purpose was to raise children and meet with the distinguished women of society over tea. There was a world out there to see yet, full of adventure, and excitement, and knowledge.

All of it would be gone upon her arrival in New York though. It would vanish like smoke through her fingers. The opportunity would be unattainable, and never to be found again.

As if this all wasn't bad enough, Tyler didn't treat her like she had a mind of her own. He simply dismissed her ideas with a wave of his hand, and gave her a condescending smile to placate her until the boys left. Then, he would retire to his room, with a cigar and the paper, seeking his privacy. He bought her fancy jewelry, and new clothes, but he never gave her the one thing she desired. Tyler would never give her a chance to be his true equal.

Intellectually, emotionally, or in any other way, she would never be as great as the "real man" that Tyler Lockwood was. Her thoughts were better put to use for galas and speaking with the women about what fur coat was best.

The three, along with their entourage of attendants, found their cabins with ease. Caroline looked around, surveying the décor and posh furniture. It was very regal indeed, but nothing she hadn't seen before. The dark wood and gold trim gave the room an earthy tone, and was very appealing on the eyes. But it was like every other upper class home she had been invited into.

"How about you two lovely ladies get everything set up here?" Tyler asked cheerfully, giving Caroline a peck on the cheek before running off to pop a bottle of champagne, not bothering to even wait for an answer. Typical.

"Where would you like these paintings, Miss Forbes?" one man asked, gesturing toward the drawings she had brought along. They were one of the few things she got to enjoy. Tyler would buy her any piece of artwork she wanted.

"Here, hand me that one," she instructed, pointing to a canvas that had a field of colorful flowers. Greens, blues, and reds adorned it with precise brushstrokes. It was breathtaking scenery. It was one of her favorites, in fact.

"I don't see why you insisted on bringing those paintings," Tyler asked in bewilderment. "They'll never amount to anything. I've seen good work, and those are nothing but a waste of space."

"Because, Tyler, they're quality artwork. You have your tastes, and I have mine. And I like these."

"Suit yourself. I'm going to go walk around the ship some more. Care to join me?"

"I think I'll pass for now," she muttered, distracted by where to hang the painting in her hands. Caroline held it up, figuring out where to put it, before finally giving in and just laying it on the couch.

"I suppose you do have lunch to prepare yourself for. Shall we meet around one?" Tyler asked, circling his champagne glass around in one hand, while the bottle was held firmly in the other. Caroline nodded in agreement.

"One sounds fine."

"Wonderful," he smiled, sauntering off to do god only knows where.

Caroline found herself wandering to their room, gazing out the window to the rippling waves. It was calming, to watch those on deck wave to the people still on land. She wanted to wave too, but it would be seen as inappropriate for someone of her status to be doing such trivial proceedings. Besides, the only thing she would be waving goodbye to was the beautiful country itself. Everybody she knew was on board with her.

"Why don't we take a turn around the ship?" Liz asked her daughter kindly. Caroline contemplated it for a moment. It wasn't like she had anything better to do, so why not? Getting ready for lunch wouldn't take as long as Tyler assumed it did.

Caroline acquiesced, hooking her arm through her mothers, and walking out into the halls with her.

It was certainly a vision to behold, the Titanic. People everywhere looked in wonderment at the finely detailed structure. Nothing had been left out for this expensive ship. Caroline could already tell it had everything a person could ever want. Since it carried cargo as well, from luggage to furniture, to animals and even cars, it was nothing short of astounding. How a ship had so much room for everything, she didn't know.

"Oh look. There's Alexia Branson," Liz pointed out. "I hear her husband, Lee, struck gold out west, and died not long ago. He left her _everything_."

"She doesn't strike me as the wealthy type," Caroline observed.

The blonde in question was rather young, and wore a bright smile over her face. Crewmen were shuffling after her, trying to carry in her luggage, but she had already beat them to the punch. She was looking at the cuter ones with fervor, ogling them as they took her suitcases when she set them down.

"I can carry my own luggage, thank you. If you want to help, get your cabooses in gear," she chided them.

"She's what we would call 'new money,' dear," Liz told her quietly. Caroline nodded in understanding. Alexia hadn't grown up with riches like Caroline had. She was new to the world of dazzling parties and overstuffed men with their talk of sports.

The woman certainly did intrigue Caroline. Perhaps she would be enlightening amongst the other dull socialites.

"Have you thought more about what you would like for your wedding ceremony?" Liz asked conversationally. Caroline shrugged.

"I haven't thought about it much."

"You're not getting cold feet already, are you?"

"No, mother. I just haven't thought about it." It was something she had been hoping to forget. Perhaps if she wasn't reminded every two seconds, it would've worked.

"We should talk more at lunch. I was thinking red roses for the main flowers. What do you think?"

"I think that's a lovely choice," Caroline agreed quietly. Those _were_ her favorite flowers.

While Caroline and her mother kept talking, she had managed to miss the man walking deep in thought across from them. He was heading right toward them, and Caroline didn't even know until he had brushed her shoulder.

"Oh, forgive me, ma'am. I'm afraid I didn't see you walking there."

"It's alright. It's understandable," she smiled. The gentleman extended his hand to her.

"Alaric Saltzman. You have my deepest apologies. I should have been watching my step."

"Caroline Forbes. A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Saltzman," she said politely, before he waved a goodbye to her, and she went on her way.

Caroline and Liz continued walking through the halls and levels, taking in each and every beautiful detail of the ship. Caroline especially liked the Grand Staircase, and how magnificent it was. Such craftsmanship and hard work had gone into the making of the Titanic. It was all more than she could have ever thought it would be. Her mind was slowly changing about the ship she saw as her prison.

The two started back to their rooms after an hour or so, to give them time to prepare for the lunch later on. Caroline wore a bright yellow dress, with white ribbon around the waist. As well as gloves, and a bracelet Tyler had gotten her recently.

Tyler, Caroline, and Liz all dined at the little café that offered the best food, and sunlight imaginable. The three of them sat with the very Alexia Branson she had seen earlier. The other blonde preferred to be called Lexi though. She made that very clear. Alexia was too formal for her taste.

Another person Caroline hadn't expected to see so soon was Alaric Saltzman, the man she had ran into earlier. Apparently, he had a hand in designing, and building, the very ship she was on. An impressive feat, she thought. Her respect for him had increased ten fold when she learned that his down-to-earth behavior was genuine.

The last pair to sit with them was Richard Lockwood, the man who envisioned the Titanic to begin with, and his wife, Carol. Caroline didn't like them. They rubbed her the wrong way. It could have been because of their haughty attitude, or perhaps the way they held themselves. It was like Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood thought they were the best there.

The men began talking of how the Titanic came to be. Mr. Lockwood would throw Mr. Saltzman a compliment here, and a compliment there. Alaric, remaining the humble one, would continually dismiss the notices of his hard work. It was quite the back and forth. Boring, but there was nothing she could do about that. All she had to do was sit up straight and listen intently.

"We'll take the duck, and maybe a couple of salads," Tyler ordered from the menu, telling the waiter what _they_ wanted. Caroline didn't recall telling him she wanted the duck.

Lexi caught on to the condescending action, and smirked. "Going to cut it into little bits for her too, Tyler?" He gave a curt smile, showing that he was merely tolerating her behavior.

"You know, I hear the captain has two children in their early twenties. Just like you, Caroline. Elena and Jeremy Gilbert are their names. They're around here somewhere. I'm sure they'd love to meet you."

"As I would love to meet them," Caroline said politely. Oh dear lord. She prayed those children weren't anything like the Lockwood family.

"Oh how terrific, you have a chance to make some new friends Caroline," Liz whispered happily to her. Caroline gave a tight smile, and nodded her head.

"So who thought of the name _Titanic_?" Lexi asked, waving a fork before taking a bite of her food. Caroline couldn't contain her grin. Something about that woman made Caroline want to hug her. She did not hold the same snooty air that most of the people around her held.

"It was actually _I_ who thought of it," Richard said, raising a finger up to take credit. "I wanted something to convey the size, stability, and strength, of this outstanding ship. There is nothing quite as big, and bold as this one. No one will ever be able to live up to it."

Caroline noted the pride in his voice as he spoke of his beloved Titanic. There was nothing wrong with taking credit for his work, but the way he acted…it made her furious.

"Mr. Lockwood…do you know of Mr. Freud?" she asked politely, yet still with a hint of bite to her tone. "His ideas about the male preoccupation with size might be of particular interest to you."

Lexi began snickering, and she saw Alaric trying to hide his amused smile. He looked at her with admiration, while Lexi looked as if she wanted to hug Caroline.

"Caroline!" Liz hissed quietly.

"Excuse me, I need some air," Caroline said quietly, placing her napkin on the table and getting up as quickly as she could. This was all too much for her right now.

She strode off toward the deck, hoping to watch the sea as she had done earlier. That calming effect it had been on her was very needed right now. Dealing with Tyler, her mother, and the likes of Tyler and Carol Lockwood…she needed to remember that her world didn't revolve around them.

Well…at least not Mr. Lockwood's world.

How was she ever supposed to survive this trip, if she couldn't survive even one simple lunch? How was she supposed to survive this upcoming _marriage_? Her whole life would be gone…right before her eyes. Caroline felt her brows furrow in concentration. She had to remember to take deep breaths. Just take a few deep breaths, and then she could go to bed. She could hide away in the cabin for the rest of the night.

Tomorrow was a new day, and it might not be as terrible as today. She was aboard what she now deemed to truly be the ship of dreams. And she should enjoy her time on it while it lasted. No point in shedding tears when it wouldn't change a damn thing.

Caroline continued gazing out at the waters, not paying attention to the third class passengers playing and conversing below her. Her arms leaned against the railing, comfortably enjoying the breeze that blew across her face.

She hadn't noticed the man below staring blatantly at her.

Her eyes tried to focus on the waters, but as soon as she realized he was looking at her, Caroline couldn't help but sneak a glance his way. Did she have something on her face? Or was he just staring to be rude? No matter. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of staring back.

And yet, she did. Caroline _did_ look back.

Then, she felt someone's hand on her shoulder. Caroline turned around to see Tyler, watching her expectantly.

"Enough of this nonsense, Caroline. Let's go back inside and behave like adults. You can stop pouting."

"Nonsense? Like adults? How can you say that?" she spat, storming off without giving him any more of her attention. How could one man be so brainless when it came to her feelings?

Maybe she was wrong. Maybe this trip would be harder to handle than she thought.

* * *

"I can't believe he's actually trying to win four tickets from these guys," Damon said, obviously exhausted at Klaus' efforts to get them away from this country. It was only his fifth scheme to date. What was there to be exhausted about?

"I don't believe poker was ever his best game either," Elijah added quietly.

"I can still hear you," Klaus said, rolling his eyes at the two dimwits he was actually trying to help. If it weren't for Stefan's excellent ability to win almost any card game, Klaus would have given up this stint a long time ago. As it were, the four guys across from them believed that they were awful poker players. They had gone as far as to bet four, beautiful third class tickets for the Titanic.

Klaus hadn't been lucky of late, but if there was ever a time for that to change, it would be now.

He had to get out of the U.K. He had to go to America. To stay any longer and share the same soil as Mikael and Esther would be a horrific nightmare. One he would never be able to endure. He had already been trying for months to get to America on his own. It had taken Elijah coming back to truly encourage him to try harder.

That was why Elijah had come back for him in the first place, even though he had practically nothing in his wallet, thanks to his parents disowning the older man as well. The money Elijah did have left was now on the table, being used as game pieces. It was also why Rebekah and Kol were awaiting his arrival in New York City. All three of them knew what it would mean if Klaus stayed any longer.

No. He had to get out. And this was how.

Stefan and Damon happened to be in the same plight as him. With their mother dead, and their father breathing down their backs with unrealistic expectations on what their life _should_ be, they had escaped to Southampton. Both Salvatore brothers dreamed big, but back home in Italy, with no money to their name, big dreams were not what they would get.

All of this had led them to where they were now. Klaus and Stefan sitting at a table, in a bar, with two other men, playing for their freedom. High stakes was an understatement.

The four of them looked at each others faces, looking for tells. Someone had to be bluffing. Someone had to have a few bad cards in their hands. These barbarians couldn't possibly have a better hand than what Klaus had. Even Stefan couldn't best him.

"I've got nothing," Stefan muttered, putting his cards down on the table.

"And there goes our chance," Damon offered quietly. Klaus could have socked him one.

"Come on, Niklaus. We need this," Elijah pleaded.

"Boys?" Klaus asked, looking at their opponents through narrowed eyes. One just sighed, and laid his cards down on the table in defeat. The other laid his down with pride. Hmm. It was a good hand.

But it wasn't good enough.

"I'm sorry, Elijah," Klaus began, exhaling deeply. He could hear his brother's head hit the wall, despair evident.

"It's alright, Niklaus. We will find another way."

"Why? Why would you want to find another way back here?" Klaus smirked, laying down his full house. Stefan's mouth grew to a wide smile, and Elijah looked at the cards as if they were ghosts.

"You did it, Mikaelson," Damon breathed, staring at the card with wide-eyes, laughing in delight as he hit Elijah on the arm. "You did it!"

Stefan jumped up, pumping his fists in the air, while Klaus grabbed the four tickets off the table. Didn't want them to take back this fabulous gift, now did he?

"We're leaving this place for good!" Stefan shouted in excitement.

"Not if you don't go now. Titanic leaves in five minutes!" the bartender told them frantically. All four boys looked at each other with panic in their eyes.

They grabbed their bags at the speed of lightning, and then bolted.

They ran as fast as they could through the crowd of people, and the many carriages lining the streets. A few shouted choice words at them for bumping people as they went, but Klaus didn't care. He was leaving this godforsaken place, and he was going to see his baby sister and brother. For once, things were beginning to look up.

"I still can't believe you did it, man!" Damon shouted, running beside Stefan. The two Salvatore brothers were much faster than Klaus and Elijah, but the two Mikaelson boys were keeping up. Besides, Klaus had the tickets. They wouldn't dare try and get on without him.

"Just worry about getting there, Damon," Stefan smiled, unable to contain his joy. Klaus smiled. He might not have known the youngest Salvatore for long, but if he had to pick anyone for his baby sister, it was Stefan. Klaus couldn't wait to see her face when she realized he was going to stay with them. The two had talked shortly before Rebekah, Kol, and Elijah had left for New York. They were instantly attached at the hip from there on out.

And hell, Damon would live with them too, for that matter. How would Kol take that news?

After a couple more minutes of running, they had arrived. There it was. There was the door that would lead them onto Titanic. They had to hurry though. The plank was almost on land again.

"Wait!" Elijah yelled. He had been in America the longest, and he was the one with the best American accent. He handed the crewmen the four tickets, after Klaus had slipped them subtly into his hand. The crewman looked all of them up and down.

"Have you been through inspection?" he asked warily.

"Well, of course. Besides, we are all American. No lice," Elijah said simply. How could anyone argue with Elijah? The man could probably make anyone feel sorry for not giving over their entire fortune to him.

The crewman nodded his head, accepting the answer, and let the four of them pass. They didn't hesitate to pass the threshold, and continue running once they were inside the ship. No one was going to take this from them.

They didn't stop running until they were back outside, on the deck amongst the crowd of people, waving goodbye to those on land.

"Wave goodbye to the past, boys. And say hello to the future," Klaus sighed happily, waving enthusiastically to those on land.

Damon and Stefan waved excitedly, while Elijah just smiled and leaned against the railing. It was his equivalent to being giddy. Klaus patted him on the shoulder, wearing a massive grin that no one could wipe off. They had done it. They were going to get out.

"Come on, let's get back inside and see our room," Elijah told them. All three listened obediently to the eldest, following close behind him as he led the way.

The third class accommodations were better than what Klaus would have imagined. While no where close to what the first class got to reside in, it was definitely better than the streets, and worrying about where his next scrap of food would come from. The white walls and red carpeting were a luxury after the crates he had learned to sleep on.

Two sets of bunk beds for each of them. Damon and Stefan shared one set, while Elijah and Klaus shared the set opposite theirs.

"I will never understand how you, of all people, got those tickets," Damon said, tossing his bag on the top bunk. Stefan narrowed his eyes, not happy Damon claimed the top bunk without so much as asking. Klaus chuckled, taking the other bottom bunk. He wouldn't argue with Elijah over this.

"It was a lucky hand, mate," Klaus shrugged. Really, poker wasn't his game. It had come as a shock to him too.

"Does it matter who got us here?" Stefan asked, still too happy to care. "We're on _Titanic_! And I get to see Rebekah soon."

Klaus and Damon both groaned, not wanting to hear any of that sappy bullshit. Elijah only grinned, unpacking his things quietly while the other three talked animatedly.

"Must you talk about that to us single folk?" Damon complained, pushing Stefan playfully. The youngest Salvatore smiled, tackling Damon onto the bed. Klaus threw his arms up in the air.

"You two, I swear."

"Speak for yourselves," Elijah said calmly, that sly grin on his face. The other three stopped, and immediately surrounded the man, eager to hear _this_ story.

"Why...dear brother," Klaus began.

"Whatever would you be talking about?" Stefan finished for him.

"I _mean_," Elijah said, laughing, "that I might have found someone in New York."

"I'll be damned…you're blushing!" Klaus said, watching his brother try to hide the embarrassing blemish. Elijah never blushed. It was so uncharacteristic of him to look flustered.

"I met her not long after I first arrived in New York. She's something special, Niklaus. I can't wait for all three of you to meet her."

"She must be to gather your affections," Klaus said quietly. His brother was not an easy man to please.

Elijah only nodded in response, and Klaus knew that was the end of that topic. So he decided to go exploring a bit instead. Klaus grabbed Stefan by the arm, and yanked him toward the hallway.

"We'll be back in a bit. I want to see what this beauty has to offer," Klaus said nonchalantly.

"Don't be too long," Elijah warned him. Klaus sighed.

"Just meet us out on the deck?" Elijah considered this, and then nodded his approval.

"Fine."

Klaus smiled, running out before Stefan could. He caught up quickly though, and they both raced to the back of the ship. Stefan won.

There was nobody outside when they got there. All the passengers were getting situated in their rooms still. Klaus ran to the edge, and leaned against the rails.

"We did it, Stefan," he sighed happily. "I'm going to be away from Esther and Mikael for good now. I'll never have to deal with them again."

"I'll never have to see Giuseppe again," Stefan said distantly, a smile tugging on his lips from the thought.

"I feel like I'm king of the world," Klaus declared calmly, looking at the ocean in front of them. "Here, I feel like we can do anything we want."

"We'll be able to once we get to New York. You can be an artist, and I'll be a writer. Maybe we'll even make enough money to take another trip to Paris."

"Maybe even legally," Klaus smirked. Stefan let out a loud guffaw, and Klaus joined in. That had certainly been a memorable trip for the two of them.

"What about Damon? Would he be able to come with us?" Stefan asked hopefully. Klaus gave him a knowing look.

"Can't be without your brother for a couple months?" he teased. Stefan looked down, almost looking bashful from the accusation.

"He's all I have left," Stefan tried to reason. Klaus put his hand to his heart, feigning hurt.

"Ouch," he said quietly, not being able to help the smirk that emerged.

"That's not what I meant," Stefan said, shaking his head and leaning against the railing with Klaus.

"I understand, mate. Nothing can compare to the unshakeable bond of the Salvatore brothers."

"Except us," Stefan said quietly. "You and Elijah are just as important to me as Damon."

Klaus looked down, embarrassed by the affection he was being given. He knew Stefan cared, but it always amazed Klaus as to how much their friendship had grown over the year he had known Stefan and Damon. Klaus had learned to rely on them more than he liked relying on anyone that wasn't his family. And in that time, Damon and Stefan had _become_ family.

Stefan and Klaus stayed out on deck until at least early afternoon. More people slowly began to join them outside, ready to see everything the ship had to offer. That was also when Elijah and Damon came outside to join them. Klaus saw Damon carrying something in his hands. Well, fuck…why did he have to go and get in Klaus' bags?

"So," Damon began, approaching Klaus and Stefan, "Why haven't we gotten to see more of your pretty drawings before?"

"You _have_ seen them," Klaus sighed.

"I know. But I like going through them _over_ and _over_ again," Damon joked, handing the raggedy sketchpad back to Klaus. He yanked the book from his hands, and flipped through the pages. Pictures of women, and children, were scattered over the papers.

"This is art, Damon. Be mature about it," Klaus scolded him.

"Have you ever gotten any money for your drawings, Niklaus?" Elijah asked conversationally. Thank god his brother didn't judge him for his choice of jobs.

"Unfortunately not. But it's a passion. Even if I never got paid for the rest of my life, I would never stop."

"No one is asking you to, brother," Elijah smiled, taking a seat on a nearby bench. Stefan joined him, while Klaus flipped through the pages of everyone he had ever met, and taken the time to draw. It was a scrapbook of his adventures, not just a pastime.

When Klaus looked up from his book, reminiscing on all the trips he had gone on, and all the encounters he had…Klaus saw her.

He didn't know who she was, but by her dress, she had to be from first class. Klaus had seen, and drawn, maybe hundreds of women. But none of them compared to the exquisite vision before him.

Her blonde curls framed her face perfectly, and the sun lit up her features beautifully while she leaned against the rails. As dainty as she looked though, there was something in her eyes. It made Klaus think she wasn't as fragile as she appeared. The way she looked out at the sea in concentration, as if it held all the answers. There was something on her mind, but what?

After a couple of minutes, he saw her eyes flick to him. It was quick, and it was subtle, but he had seen it. He tried not to smile as her gaze slowly came back to where he was standing. She was trying not to stare. It was adorable.

"Don't even think about it, man," Damon warned him. "There's a better chance of pigs flying out of your ass than getting next to her."

Klaus ignored him, not giving a shit about his idiotic warnings. He knew Klaus' past. Just because he was poor now, didn't mean he always had been. Why couldn't he talk to someone from first class, just because he was sleeping in third?

Eventually, a man came and tried talking to the woman, but she didn't take too lightly to the interruption. She stormed off, and Klaus chuckled at the little display. Feisty.

"Never know, mate. Maybe this will be the trip where pigs learn to fly," Klaus said distantly.

Damon only rolled his eyes, and pulled out a cigarette. Klaus smiled, and looked back to where the lady had been standing. The man was gone now too, but Klaus kept hoping she would come back. She would lean against the rail, just like she had been, and he would think of ways to break the ice. Forget the class difference, and just go talk to her.

But that wasn't how things worked, was it? Klaus couldn't just go talk to any girl he wanted. There were standards, expectations, etc. He sighed, and turned back to the other three. It would be best if he just forgot her. Perhaps she was a spoiled heiress who got everything she ever wanted in life. He would never be able to provide that for her, not anymore. Klaus could never give her the material possessions she was used to having.

It would be useless to chase after a girl this whole trip anyway. He was on Titanic! He was with his brother, and his best friends. That was enough to occupy him until they arrived in New York City, and the real adventure began. With his parents out of the way, and his siblings waiting for him to join them at home, how could things not be looking up?

Now that he didn't have to worry about finding a way out, what could possibly go wrong?

* * *

**A/N: Do not judge me for starting another fic. It was bugging me that someone had yet to write a Titanic AU. So I did instead.**

**Hopefully I mixed the two well enough. There are a lot of Titanic quotes and scenes in this chapter. I just had so many feels. Also, Klaus and Caroline are both in their early to mid twenties in this fic. I know Rose was about 17 in the movie, but that seemed to young for this story. Hope that's okay.  
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**Review and let me know if you want to read more, and if I'm on the right track! It's important to me that I don't mess this up! =]  
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**I would also like to thank C.C. and Yana for reading over this chapter. And Lauren for making the beautiful graphic!  
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	2. The Rescue

The next night aboard Titanic, Caroline was scheduled to attend another elegant dinner with all the high-class passengers. She wasn't looking forward to it. More dull talk about how there was no reason for her to attend university when she was engaged, and why she shouldn't use one designer over another for her wedding dress. Did they honestly think she couldn't form her own opinions about a simple dress? It was ludicrous. The way they treated her like a child. She was a woman, and wanted to be treated as such. But she also knew that would never happen. Not in her world.

It was noontime now, and she was dressed in a bright green dress, with white trimming. Her hair was done up in neat curls, and she was leaning against the rails outside the ship, looking out into the clear blue ocean. This was the place her mother had set up a meeting for her to greet the captain's children. Elena and Jeremy Gilbert, she believed their names were. Oh how she continued to pray that they weren't as stuffy as the Lockwood family. Maybe they would be more like Mr. Saltzman. One could only hope.

She wasn't sure what time they were supposed to get there. It had already been twenty minutes since she had arrived on deck. What was keeping them? Were they as reluctant to meet her, as she was to meet them?

Right on cue, Caroline could hear laughter from around a nearby corner. The noise caused her to turn abruptly, surprised by the joyous sounds. Was that…was that supposed to be them? Her head cocked quizzically to the side as two people—a boy and a girl—came running toward her, all smiles.

They were both dressed in fine clothing. The girl wore a powder blue dress, with her chestnut hair down in loose curls. The boy was dressed in a man's finest attire, his black suit clinging to his rather muscular body. Despite their pristine ensemble, neither of them wore the signature frown that went along with those clothes. They were happy. Caroline didn't understand it…how were they not more…lifeless? Everyone she knew looked as if they had something stuck up uncomfortable places. Nobody ran around joyously with one another. Nobody was ever allowed.

"Ah ha! I knew you would never be able to catch me," the young brunette joked with the man who had been chasing her playfully. They both stopped just beside Caroline.

"I don't understand how you have so much energy! In a corset, no less," the man laughed, resting his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

"We women are tougher than you think," she said smugly, nodding her head once. She then turned to Caroline, and gave a small curtsy. "My apologies. We did not mean to run late."

"Don't worry about it," Caroline said, slightly confused. "I presume you are Elena and Jeremy Gilbert?"

Elena nodded cheerfully. "We are. And you are Caroline Forbes? Our father told us to look for a woman with hair as gold as the sun, and a fire in her eyes that burned just as bright."

"Oh," she mumbled, surprised. "I guess that would be me then. It's a pleasure to meet you both."

"As we are pleased to meet you," Jeremy said kindly, taking her hand gently in his, and placing a soft kiss to it. "It's so nice to meet someone else our age. We were beginning to think nothing but stuffy old men and women were on board."

"We've tried sneaking down to third class, but someone always manages to catch us before we get too far," Elena shrugged, rolling her eyes.

"I…I'm a little confused," Caroline mused, "You mean you both don't enjoy first class? You sneak around?"

"First class has it's advantages, sure," Jeremy nodded, "but it's nothing compared to the parties I hear they have down below. Father never lets us go because it would look bad, but I think he secretly tries to distract his crewmembers so that we may experience them for ourselves. His plans just never work. And he would never admit that he is okay with it either."

"But you can't blame him for trying," Elena reminded him.

"Your father sounds like a great man. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting the captain yet," Caroline informed them.

"We shall remedy that as soon as we can," Elena grinned. "But for now, let us walk? Maybe get to know each other better before dinner?"

"That sounds like an excellent plan," Caroline said calmly, nodding in agreement. Truthfully, the two Gilberts seemed like very favorable people. She was relieved to find they weren't anything like the Lockwood family, or her own mother. They were carefree despite their class standing, and they certainly seemed to know how to have a good time. Could these be the type of friends she was looking for this whole trip?

"Father tells us you are to marry the Lockwood man?" Jeremy asked, stepping in line beside Caroline, while Elena occupied her other side.

"Um, yes, I am. We begin the real wedding preparations after we arrive in America."

"Oh, a wedding!" Elena clapped. "I love weddings. I am afraid I will never marry though."

"Why ever not?" Caroline asked, utterly perplexed by her statement. The girl was stunning, how could she not have a suitor? Were men not throwing themselves at her feet?

"Our dearest Elena is quite the picky one," Jeremy whispered conspiratorially into Caroline's ear. He chuckled when Elena tried to slap him on the shoulder for such a remark. Even Caroline couldn't stop the grin that appeared from his words.

"That is not true! It isn't my fault you men are such brutes. Always criticizing how us women act around your godly selves. No, I much prefer a man of lower class. I want someone who knows how to have fun with me, and will treat me as I should be treated."

"See? Picky," Jeremy smiled. "I think she just wants a taste of the forbidden fruit."

"Jeremy!" Elena chided, shaking her head. "You will understand some day when you meet a girl. Would you want somebody like the stiffs we met yesterday, or would you want somebody like Caroline and I?"

"Oh, I doubt I'm anything like you two," Caroline said sadly, ashamed she couldn't say she was as fun. "I'm not like that."

"That's not what it looks like to me," Elena commented, giving her a reassuring smile. "You just need the right friends to show you the way."

"You don't understand. My mother has certain expectations of how I should behave, as does my fiancé. I can't just act like I haven't been raised in riches my whole life."

"Who says?" Elena challenged. "We do it all the time. We were born with this status, we didn't ask for it."

"But do you not enjoy the benefits of being raised in such a world? All of the delectable food, comfortable beds, and gorgeous clothing we receive from it?"

"Yes, of course. But would you rather have all of that, or the freedom to do as you please without judgment?" Elena asked quietly.

Caroline bit her lower lip, turning to Jeremy as if he would have some form of answer. He looked at her expectantly, awaiting her reply. He thought like his sister. It was so new, seeing such caring people want the same things out of life as she did. But she knew they would be disappointed to find that just wasn't how life worked. If there had been a way out of marrying Tyler, she would have found it by now. There wasn't though, and that was the problem.

It was nice to dream about traveling to far off places, and not worry about such proper behavior, but it would never be realistic of her to believe such dreams would come true. Yet, she couldn't burst Elena and Jeremy's bubble. They seemed so happy, so optimistic. How could she be the one to tell them they couldn't achieve all they dreamed of?

"You're right," Caroline smiled. "I would love that kind of freedom over fine clothing any day." It wasn't a lie. She simply didn't believe it would ever happen as much as they did.

"See? You are just like us," Elena said happily, looping her arm through Caroline's. "For you to think otherwise is preposterous."

"Is your fiancé like you?" Jeremy asked, intrigued. "Or is he a snob like all the others?"

"Tyler is not a snob," Caroline lied expertly. "But he is satisfied with his wealth and status in society."

"Snob," Elena and Jeremy deadpanned in unison. Caroline looked taken aback by their frank observation.

"We know what his parents are like," Jeremy told her. "We just wanted to know if he was like them too."

"And it sounds like he is," Elena agreed.

"No, no that's not it," Caroline tried to argue, but it was a weak attempt. "Tyler just…he doesn't…"

"You create such a strong argument for him," Elena teased.

Caroline sighed in defeat. There would be no getting anything past these two. "No, Tyler is not like me."

"I'm so sorry," Elena said sincerely, patting Caroline's hand soothingly. "I mean it. I would much rather never marry than be in your situation."

"Uh…thank you?" Caroline mumbled. How was she supposed to take that as?

"My sister means well, but sometimes words just fly out of her mouth before she can stop them," Jeremy told her playfully. Caroline smiled. She did know _that_ feeling.

"I believe we are much the same in that sense," Caroline assured her.

Elena gave her a bright smile in return. "Caroline Forbes, I wish I had known you sooner. The good times we would have had together."

"We know her now though," Jeremy said cheerfully. "Let's be happy for that."

"Yes! In fact, you should come to our quarters this evening to prepare for dinner! It will be a grand time," Elena said excitedly as the idea came to her.

"I would love that," Caroline said, genuinely pleased for the first time since arriving on Titanic. For the first time this trip, she had something to look forward to.

"Splendid!" Elena said, beaming at her new friend. "Shall we continue touring the ship then? Until it is closer to dinner?"

"That sounds fine," Caroline giggled, walking with the both of them back inside.

It was a weird sensation, talking to someone that wasn't in her immediate circle of people. She didn't have to pretend with Elena and Jeremy. Caroline could truly show her deepest desires around them. But, at the same time, they could never know how unhappy she was with her engagement. That was still her secret to keep. Elena seemed to comprehend a little of what she was going through, but not as much as she thought. The brunette didn't know just how emotionless Caroline had become since the impending marriage had been announced.

So she would hide it from her. Elena and Jeremy would not know how awful she felt about being imprisoned aboard the ship. It was why when dinnertime approached, and she was readying herself for that night, she put on a smile for them. It was only for them, however, because no one else cared if she smiled or not. As long as she behaved herself, her mother and Tyler didn't care if she enjoyed anything that happened around them or not.

That night, she wore a beautiful, deep crimson dress to dinner, with black sequins scattered around it. Her hair was up in tight curls again, and she wore heels that were far too uncomfortable. Elena wore a dark blue dress, with white lace around the edges. Her hair was done in much the same fashion as hers too. Caroline couldn't help but feel a little jealous at how effortless her beauty was. The other girl could have worn her robe to dinner and been just as admired.

Once Jeremy had changed into yet another tux, the three of them walked to dinner together. There, they met her mother, the Lockwood family, Mr. Saltzman, and the other rich passengers whose names currently escaped Caroline's memory. It was all procedural greetings, as she expected. There was idle chatter that meant nothing, smiles that never quite lit up her features, and laughter from jokes that weren't funny at all.

When all the hellos had been said, they sat down, only to begin more mindless talking that Caroline didn't bother to listen to. Elena and Jeremy were preoccupied with questions Richard Lockwood continued to ask them. Mostly because they were the captain's children, and he would never dare ignore them. Every move was a game, a carefully planned strategy put into motion. It was all so fake that Caroline wanted to vomit. The only real conversation she had been involved in was the one with Jeremy and Elena earlier that day. And how refreshing that had been. Why couldn't she go back to that?

As Caroline sat there, observing the Gilbert siblings speak with her soon to be father-in-law, her fiancé laugh with her mother, and Mr. Saltzman explain the ship's machinery to a couple of unknown faces, she felt her chest tighten. It was all suddenly too much for her to handle. Watching her future pass before her very eyes made her stomach queasy. This was what she would be doing for the rest of her life. She may have spoken about dreams and freedom with the Gilberts, but that was not what her life would be. Those thoughts were nothing more than a fantasy to help her sleep at night. It was this kind of get together she would be forced to sit through. It would be a never-ending cycle of parties and dinners. Forever.

"Excuse me," she said quietly to anyone who even bothered to notice her presence.

No one looked up from his or her conversation, of course. Without looking back at her table, she quickly strode outside of the dining area. Caroline wanted fresh air. She wanted to get away from her life. She wanted that freedom she so desperately reached for.

So she ran.

She started sprinting across the wooden floors, her hair loosening from its tight bun as she did. Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her face. A few passengers looked at her funny, but none bothered to stop her. They just ignored the crazy, spoiled heiress who probably didn't get the diamond necklace she had been pining for. It's not like she would have any real issues to be concerned about.

It was too much. All of this was just too much for her to deal with. She was young, and it would never end until death. This life she was starting would be with her years unless she did something about it now. Caroline would be sad to leave her mother, Mr. Saltzman, Elena, and Jeremy behind, but they couldn't—or wouldn't, in her mother's case—help her escape this fate.

Caroline's feet didn't stop moving until she ran straight into the railing at the back of the ship. Nobody was around her, and all she could hear was the crashing of waves against the monstrous ship she stood on. Here, she found that peace she so often sought for. But it wasn't enough. Not this time. This time, she needed more. If she wanted freedom, it would have to be achieved by a new means.

Very carefully, Caroline held on tightly to the rails, and put one foot over the ledge. Slowly, she put the other foot over, her body shaking slightly from her precarious position. It took her some time, but she eventually turned completely around, so that her body was facing the ocean, and she was standing on the side of the railing that no one dared occupy. Her heart beat rapidly as she extended her arms, still holding on with an iron grip to the rails.

This was it. She could do this. All she had to do was release her hands, and she would get that highly desired independence. This was something she would do for herself, and not for anyone else. No one would tell her she could or could not let go. No one would tell her to get back on the boat, and stop throwing some unnecessary tantrum. She would be free.

Or so she had thought.

"What are you doing over there, sweetheart?" a voice called to her.

Caroline's head snapped around to look at the man who dared to stop her from doing what she wanted for the first time in her life. His blue eyes watched her warily, his feet inching closer to where she stood. But he wasn't too close. At least there was that. Why did he look so familiar? The man had to be lower class though, so where had she seen him?

"Go away," she said weakly, but with a determined expression. "I'm busy."

With that, her head whipped back around to look at the ocean, her eyes closed. This man wasn't going to stop her from doing what she wanted. How dare he think it polite to just interrupt her like this? Couldn't he see that she was attending to important matters?

Caroline heard a small chuckle from behind her. "Are you now?"

Did she look like she was kidding? The nerve! "Yes, now please leave," she said curtly, not turning to face him again.

"Come on, just…give me your hand. I'll help you back over. I assure you, the water looks the same from over here," he said calmly.

"Just don't come any closer!" she spat back. "I'm going to do it! I'm going to let go!"

This time, Caroline did turn around. She saw the worried expression on his face, and how he seemed to be analyzing her movements. He lifted up a cigarette in his hand, taking one last drag before tossing it over the edge, and effectively moving closer to her. When her eyes met his, there was a certain, knowing glint in them that she hadn't seen before. He smirked as he put his hands in his pockets, and looked at the ground. For some reason, Caroline couldn't take her eyes off of him now. What was it about him that tickled her memory?

"No you won't," he said quietly, obviously certain of his guess. "You won't jump."

* * *

Klaus looked up at the night sky, smoking leisurely on a cigarette while he lied on one of the many benches. Elijah had long since gone to bed, and Damon was off having a drink alone, no doubt chatting with some unsuspecting lady he had just met. Stefan had left only moments ago, claiming he was tired. So it left Klaus to linger on deck longer, not ready to go below just yet. He was on the greatest ship ever built. Why in the world would he want to sleep away his time on board?

The stars shone brightly, lighting up the sky, as did the lights on the ship. The glow that surrounded him was serene, and he was sure if anything, he could fall asleep there. This was what he had been accustomed to for months. Sleeping under the night sky without a roof over his head. It was a familiarity that brought him peace.

Everything around him was changing so fast. For the better, of course, but he still had to adjust his mindset because of it. He was actually going to be with his family. Rebekah and Kol were but a few days distance away from him. Even if it wouldn't be the life of riches, he would be home. And that was enough.

As he took another drag from his cigarette, he heard a set of clicking, moving hastily across deck. The noise caused him to jolt upright, searching for the source.

It was the girl. The woman he had seen yesterday was running toward the stern, but why? Why was she crying? Such an angelic face shouldn't be so upset. His brows furrowed as he continued to watch her, unsure of what he should be doing. Did he need to find someone to help her? Would it be acceptable for him to speak to her now? She was where his people resided, after all. Social class certainly shouldn't be a problem now.

He watched intently as her hands gripped the rail so much so, that her knuckles had to be turning white. Slowly, he stood up, finding it easy to start moving in her direction. Screw getting someone else, he was right there. Might as well help her himself.

By the time he moved up a small set of stairs, he saw the girl had placed herself over the ledge. Her body was getting closer to the ocean, as she extended her arms to shorten the distance. Bloody hell, she was going to do it. She was going to let go. Was she out of her mind?! The water was freezing! Did she mean to drop to her death?

Casually, he strolled over to her, trying to be nonchalant about his approach. Best not to frighten the poor girl anymore than she seemed to be already. His eyes roamed over her body, studying the way she shook just a little, and how it wasn't from the wind. How her hair was a mess, but she still looked beautiful all the same. What kind of problem could such a creature have to want to end it so soon? She looked younger than he was for crying out loud. Did she not realize how much she had to live for?

"What are you doing over there, sweetheart?" he called softly, trying not to startle her.

Her head turned so quickly, he was afraid she would get whiplash. Her eyes darted to his feet, watching how he moved just a little closer to her. Smart girl. She was very observant.

"Go away," she attempted, but even he could hear the pitiful tone she held. "I'm busy."

Klaus grinned at how her stubborn little expression was set on not letting him talk to her. She turned away from him now, looking back to the ocean. He chuckled, unable to keep his amusement in. So she really was as fiery as he had thought her to be.

"Are you now?" he asked, trying to think of anything to say.

"Yes, now please leave," she demanded, her temper getting the better of her. Klaus shook his head, even though she couldn't see. There was no way he could leave now. It would be a cruel punishment to deny the world her spirit.

"Come on, just…give me your hand. I'll help you back over. I assure you, the water looks the same from over here," he said calmly, trying to lighten the mood when he held his hand out to her.

"Just don't come any closer!" she hissed. "I'm going to do it! I'm going to let go!"

His eyes met hers when she finally looked around, and he was captivated instantly. This girl wasn't fooling around. She was going to jump, and he couldn't let her do that. Not taking his eyes off of her, he took his last drag from the cigarette in his hands, and tossed it overboard. Thankfully, his plan to get closer had worked. She hadn't protested once.

And then it hit him.

This girl didn't want to jump. Oh no, she didn't want to jump at all. She was just scared, and she wanted someone to tell her it was okay. This woman wanted someone to pull her back from death's grasp. Why though? What was going through her pretty little head that would make her want to leave this world in such a way?

His hands slipped into his pockets, as he decided what his next move would be. He could feel the smirk tug at his lips, and his eyes fall to the ground, no longer able to hold her gaze. The intensity of it frightened _him_.

"No you won't," he said quietly, certain of his assumption. "You won't jump."

The blonde looked at him incredulously, her eyes widening. "Excuse you? You don't know what I will and will not do!"

"Unfortunately, I disagree. See, you would have already jumped, if that was your intention," he nodded, scratching his chin indifferently. "So…you won't jump."

"For the last time, go away! You are trying to distract me, but it won't work!" she huffed, turning back with a newfound determination. He looked at her sadly, wanting so badly to help her back over. But she was a scared little girl, and it would take a little more coaxing.

"I can't," he sighed. "I'm involved now, and if you jump, well…I am afraid to inform you that I will have to jump in after you."

"Ridiculous," she muttered. "You'll die."

"I know how to swim," he said, beginning to take his shoes off. If she thought he was joking, she was sadly mistaken.

"This is idiotic of you. Stop undressing yourself! You won't jump in after, you couldn't handle it."

"I would get over it," he assured her. "Truth be told, I'm more concerned about the water's temperature."

The blonde seemed to consider his words for a moment. Good, he was planting a seed of doubt. "How cold?" she asked meekly. And his plan was now in motion.

"Freezing," he said simply. "Trust me, I know how it will feel against your skin. My brothers and I used to play a game, to see how long we could stay in the water during winter. It was a show of manly strength, to us. But the water…it quickly deflated a boy's ego. My skin burned, and felt like thousands of tiny needles were poking at me, trying to hinder my breathing. I couldn't think straight. All I could do was focus on the pain. Not an all too pleasant feeling. It's why I'm hoping you'll save me here, so I don't have to relive my childhood. It wasn't a time I would want to experience again."

Klaus watched the gears in her head turn furiously, deciding on whether or not to take his word as truth. Her eyes had stayed glued to him the entire time he told his story. That doubt he had planted in her mind was growing, he could tell. But she wasn't there yet.

"You're crazy," she mumbled, facing the water again.

He chuckled. "Ah, I've heard that before. See, I've thought about it myself, once or twice, over the past few months. But I'll let you in on a little secret," he whispered, moving closer to her yet again. He could feel her breathing hitch, and was sure her ears perked up just a bit more. "There's a whole _world_…out there waiting for you. There are great cities, and art…and music. Genuine beauty. And you can have all of it. You can go and experience everything the world has to offer. All you have to do is ask."

He had moved sufficiently closer to her at this point. In fact, he was close enough to touch her. Klaus watched as her eyes fluttered about, unsure of which direction to take. But her lips began to tremble, and she shook her head slowly.

"I don't want to die," she admitted through her tears.

"Take my hand," he offered again, moving it closer to where she was. "Let's get you back where you belong."

Her hand flew to his, and she held on tightly as she began to carefully maneuver herself so that she was face-to-face with Klaus. Two beautiful blue eyes looked up at him through long lashes. The wait had certainly been worth this. She was stunning. A small grin tugged on his lips, but this time it was genuine.

"Now that's more like it," he smiled. "I'm Klaus Mikaelson."

"Caroline Forbes," she said quietly. Caroline. What a beautiful, fitting name.

"Come on, Caroline. Let's get you over here now," he said gently, moving his other hand to her back to help her climb over the ledge. She smiled, and began lifting her foot up to come over.

What neither of them expected was for her dress to get tangled up with her foot, and for her to quickly lose her balance.

He reacted quickly, holding tightly to one hand while she held on for dear life to the rails with her other. Her screams pierced the otherwise silent night, and he tried so hard to pull her back over.

"HELP ME!" she screamed, tears falling fast down her cheeks. "PLEASE!"

"Look at me, Caroline!" he instructed her, watching as her eyes finally met his. He nodded his head, trying to calm her down. "Just hold on, okay? I won't let go. Now pull yourself up, you can do it."

Caroline nodded her head, pulling on the rails with one hand, while he pulled on her other. Together, and with a little more encouraging on his part, they pulled her back over. She landed on the wooden floor with a thud, and both of them were breathing heavily. He had almost lost her, right when had had been so sure everything was fixed. That had to be one of the most unpleasant experiences he had gone through so far. At least while on Titanic.

But the universe was out to prove him wrong.

The sounds of footsteps running toward them could be heard now. Klaus looked up while he was on his knees, still catching his breath. Crewmen had arrived, and were looking at Klaus with wide eyes. Why did they look at him like he was such a monster? His brows knitted together, and he surveyed the predicament he had missed.

Caroline's dress was torn at the end, and his clothes and shoes were over to the side. Oh no. He realized exactly what this looked like.

"YOU STEP BACK, AND DON'T MOVE," one of the crew warned him.

"Fetch the master of arms," he instructed another man.

Klaus did as he was told, and moved back immediately, lifting his hands in surrender. Perfect. He did one good deed, and was punished for it. That was just his luck.

It didn't take long the master of arms to arrive, and for Klaus' hands to be cuffed behind his back. Caroline sat on a bench, a blanket wrapped around her. There was a small crowd now too, which included a couple of men he didn't know. One, however, he remembered from yesterday, when he had met Caroline on deck. The man she had promptly stormed away from.

"How dare you think you could touch _my_ fiancée?! How foolish to believe such a thing!" The man yelled about, coming to stand in Klaus' face.

"Tyler!" Caroline intervened. "Please! It was an accident!"

The small group got quiet, and Tyler turned to her, astounded by her unexpected words. "Caroline…what do you mean?"

"I-I was leaning far over and…I slipped," she stuttered, looking up at Tyler innocently. "I-I wanted to see the uh…the uh, uh…"

"Propellers?" Tyler finished for her, a tight smile on his lips.

"Yes! The propellers. I wanted to see them, but I slipped. Mr. Mikaelson here saved me. If it weren't for him, I would have fallen."

"Is this true, son?" the man behind Klaus asked. He looked at Caroline, not understanding why she wanted to lie at first. But he quickly understood. So he had no other choice but to go along with her story.

"That's exactly what happened," he assured the group.

"Then the boy is a hero! Now back to our brandy, eh?" some fat lard of a man exclaimed from behind Tyler. The man behind Klaus began undoing his handcuffs. Once his hands were free, he rubbed them gently, watching the men begin to slowly disperse. Now that his business had been taken care of, nobody cared any longer about the third class man who had saved the sad girl.

"Let's get you back inside," Tyler said, moving Caroline away.

"Perhaps a reward for the young man's rescue?" the fat man suggested. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

"Right…Mason, a twenty should do it," he said dismissively.

"Oh? Is that the going rate for saving the woman you love?" Caroline asked, raising her brows in challenge. Tyler turned toward her slowly.

"So you are displeased? What to do…" he mused. "I know…"

Tyler walked toward Klaus casually, nodding his head as if to persuade himself to follow through with what he was about to give him. "How about you join us for dinner tomorrow? You can tell us all about your heroic rescue again. What say you?"

"Sounds spectacular," Klaus smirked smugly, not needing another moment to think it over. If another chance for him to see Caroline were presenting itself, he would not reject it.

"Wonderful," Tyler said, going back to Caroline and walking her toward the ship. Caroline gave him one last, thankful look, before following Tyler obediently. Right as they were all about to walk away, Klaus turned toward the butler.

"Mind sparing a smoke?" Klaus asked, amused. Mason turned back to him, frowning intensely before tossing Klaus a cigarette. He lifted it up slightly, indicating that he still needed a light.

"You know what I find interesting?" Mason asked, moving closer to Klaus and lighting the cigarette for him. "How Caroline's accident happened so suddenly, yet you still found time to remove your jacket, and your shoes."

With a knowing grin, Mason walked off, not giving Klaus another glance. But it didn't matter. Mason's words only meant Klaus would have to be more careful around Caroline. They would not cause him any uneasiness. Surely that wasn't supposed to scare him off.

He had gotten a taste of what it was like to be around her now. There was no way he was giving up that easily.

* * *

Caroline looked down at the brush in her hands, staring blankly at it. Her thoughts were consumed with the mysterious Klaus. It was still nagging at her that she didn't remember where she had seen him before. Those eyes…they weren't forgettable. And yet there she was, drawing a blank.

Except...a memory did tickle Caroline's memory. One of her time outside yesterday, and staring down at the third class passengers, and a particular man who had been blatantly gazing at her. It was those very blue eyes she had faced tonight. Oh, why hadn't she recognized him sooner! No wonder she couldn't get him off of her mind.

There was a sudden knock at her door, bringing Caroline from her revelation, and she looked through her mirror to see Elena walking in cautiously, checking around the room for anyone else who might be preoccupying the space. What could she possibly want at this hour though?

"Is it alright for me to be here?" she asked, her robes held tightly together as she tiptoed through the room. Caroline gave her a small smile, and nodded.

"It's fine. Why though? Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"I should be a lot of things, but alas, I am not any of those," Elena replied, smirking as she sat down on one of the couches. "I was worried about you. I heard of your unfortunate accident on the stern. Are you okay?"

Caroline stood from her seat, and ventured over to join her. "I'm fine. A little frazzled, but alive."

"I am so happy to hear that. Tyler made it sound like the poor fellow who saved you was more to blame than anything else. I had to see for myself if that was true."

"Klaus was not to blame! He _saved_ me, not the other way around," Caroline sighed. Dinner tomorrow night was obviously going to be a wondrous time now.

"Oh? Do tell me more about this Klaus fellow," Elena smiled, getting excited at the idea of gossip. Caroline only rolled her eyes playfully. Of course that's what she would be interested in more. A part of Caroline was happy for that, however. She needed a distraction from the eyes that haunted her.

"There isn't much to tell. He is from third class, and this was the only time we've ever spoken with each other. He was kind, very wise beyond his years, and so…_gentle_."

"What a first impression he must have made," Elena suggested slyly, lifting an eyebrow.

"Indeed it was," Caroline mused, distracted by her thoughts once more. "Quite the impression."

After a couple minutes of silence, Elena broke Caroline from her reverie. "You know, I wasn't supposed to say anything, but I hear Tyler has quite the engagement gift for you."

"It wouldn't surprise me. What does that have to do with anything?" It was a rather odd statement considering the current topic. Why bring up Tyler's inevitably expensive present?

"Does _Le Cœur de la Mer_ ring any bells?" Elena asked knowingly.

Caroline shook her head. It didn't mean a thing to her. "It means 'the heart of the ocean' in French, but I know nothing besides that. Why?"

"If you could only see this diamond, you would know why it is important. I hear the jewel was worn by Louis XVI, and is an astounding fifty-six carats. Not a present to take lightly. It must have cost him a fortune to obtain."

"Elena, please tell me where you are going with this, because I am very lost," she said, confused.

"Well you tell me. Tyler has gone many lengths to get that necklace. Does it not impress you that your fiancé would spoil you in such a manner?"

"What?! Absolutely not! I do not want to be _bought_! I want to be _earned_! And Tyler Lockwood has never earned anything in his entire life!" Caroline vented. She felt winded from her quiet rant, letting it all out while still making sure no one heard. Her new friend simply took it all in.

"What about this Klaus fellow? Has he earned your affections?" Elena suggested indifferently.

"He has earned far more from me than Tyler ever will!" she fumed, crossing her arms at the very thought of Tyler. "He knows what it means to work for something. Or some_one_. He could actually make a woman happy."

Caroline realized her mistake as soon as the words left her mouth. Elena knew she did not want to marry Tyler, but Caroline had never admitted to being unhappy. She turned with wide eyes to Elena, who only looked at her with complete understanding. A feeling that was very foreign to Caroline. With a comforting pat to Caroline's arm, she made the poor blonde feel secure about her little confession.

"Do not fear. Your secret is safe with me. We are in the same boat, you and I. It seems we both yearn for love we cannot have with our status. We pine for what is real. And that is why I am going to help you tomorrow, when he joins us for dinner. Anything at all to help him swim with the sharks."

"Elena," Caroline smiled, leaning forward to hug her heaven-sent friend. "I don't know what I would do without you."

* * *

**A/N: Yes, I finally got this out. Dedicating this to Becky for motivating me via an awesome review poster (as can be seen on my tumblr). A big thank you to Amy (KindOfAmy) for taking the time to beta this for me too. You are both awesome.**

**Thank you to everyone who read the first chapter, and reviewed, followed, and/or put this in your favorites. Always a motivator too! **

**Now, to address the questions/reviews I've received worrying about the ending (And rightfully so, I don't blame you one bit haha). I've been talking with Amy about ways to make this different from the movie, so while I can't avoid _all_ deaths, the ending _might_ be different. All I can say is, you'll have to read to find out =P  
**

**Love you all for reading! Hope to see you soon =]  
**


	3. A Friendship is Formed

**A/N: In case anyone hasn't seen, the last part of chapter 2 was changed. It's a scene between Caroline/Elena now instead of Caroline/Tyler. Just fyi! It was brought to my attention that it resembled the movie too much, and I agree. If I do this again, please excuse me because I'm trying to make it as original as possible. It's hard messing with perfection though haha, especially since there are some scenes from the movie I want to have in this fic.  
**

* * *

Caroline awoke that morning with a fresh perspective, thanks to her rescuer, and Elena. Today, she actually had something to look forward to. Unlike the last two days, she would be excited for the day ahead. Elena had already promised to help her with the dinner that night. Not only that, but Klaus would be in attendance.

The first thing on her schedule was to meet up with Elena and Jeremy, so that they could discuss plans for that night. It was also her chance to meet the man in charge of this beautiful ship, Captain John Gilbert. Elena and Jeremy always went on and on about him, and Caroline thought it was about time she met the man responsible for raising such wonderful children.

The three of them walked to lunch together, discussing trivial matters such as the weather, and more about this necklace that Tyler might very well present her with soon. She didn't want his lavish gifts though. How many times did she have to repeat herself before he finally listened? Or would he ever even listen at all?

It didn't matter, not now anyway. She wanted to occupy her thoughts with other things, like her time with Elena and Jeremy. Only after they had met the captain would they discuss the night ahead. Caroline wanted to make a good impression, and not focus on what the outcome of their dinner might be. Would Klaus even know what to expect, or would he be walking in unprepared?

"Don't look so afraid," Elena said calmly in Caroline's ear. "Our father is a good man. He will love you. In fact, I think he already does. We've told him so much about you."

"Well that's very flattering, thank you," she smiled, patting Elena's hand. The bar was set high, but she only hoped she would meet his expectations. They continued walking arm-in-arm until they reached the quaint café that Elena had suggested they meet at.

Sitting alone at one of the tables was the captain himself. His all white attire made him stand out, and easy to spot. The captain smiled when he saw the three approaching, standing up to give them a slight bow.

"Hello, children. Now, is this the Caroline Forbes I've been hearing all about?" He smiled, moving to give Elena and Jeremy a hug.

"Indeed," Elena answered, gesturing toward Caroline. "Caroline, this is our father. Father, meet Caroline Forbes, our new friend."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," Caroline said sweetly, giving him a small curtsy in return for his bow. He was such a well-mannered man.

"The pleasure is mine, Miss Forbes," he said gently, taking her hand in his and placing a quick kiss on it.

"Father won't be joining us for dinner tonight, but we've talked him into maybe going another night," Jeremy laughed, holding out the seat for Caroline, while John held a chair out for Elena.

"That's a shame," Caroline said, smoothing her dress out once she was seated. "I had hoped you would be in our company this evening."

"It's a busy life running this ship," he chuckled, perusing his menu while he spoke. "Unfortunately I can't be everywhere at once."

"I'm afraid I know that feeling all too well," Caroline assured him.

It was not easy being a decoration around Tyler Lockwood's arm. Everyone wanted her attention, as if it would impress Tyler that they devoted their time to getting to know her. Oh how they were wrong though. Tyler didn't care if they paid attention to Caroline or the maids more. So long as they gave him the attention he felt he deserved, he was satisfied.

"So tell me, Miss Forbes, you are to wed Mr. Lockwood after we dock?" The captain asked conversationally. "I couldn't help overhearing someone talk of it when I walked by."

"Yes," she said tightly, trying not to show how displeased she was with the idea. "A date has not been set yet, but I presume it will be as soon as possible."

"Let's not make her nervous," Elena suggested quickly, knowing Caroline would rather talk about anything but Tyler. "Perhaps we can talk about something else? Like how Caroline here was saved by a man from third class last night."

"If this is your way of getting me to let you date a man from lower class, you know my feelings already," John told her.

"We already know how you feel about that," Jeremy smiled, indicating it wasn't as bad of an opinion as he made it sound. "But we're serious. A man from third saved her from falling overboard. Elena told me all about it."

"I hear he's a very sweet boy," Elena said suggestively, but subtle enough so that no one else would catch it. "And a brave man as well."

"Well, it's a good thing he was there to catch you. We would have lost an intriguing young woman if he hadn't. I can only imagine how your night must have been. I'm sure sleep didn't come easy."

"Actually, I was able to sleep fairly easily. After the strenuous, near death experience, all I could think about was getting back to my warm bed, and never taking it for granted again," Caroline giggled, putting her menu down after selecting her entrée.

The waitress came shortly after, taking their drink and food orders. Caroline even got to order something for herself. How refreshing that was. She got some soup, along with a sandwich, and it was _her_ choice. Caroline was practically giddy with excitement. It was silly, but at the same time, it wasn't. Sometimes she even surprised herself when she figured out just how much her life was controlled by others.

"So are we ever going to meet this savior?" John asked once the waitress had disappeared.

"Well, as a matter of fact, we will be seeing him at dinner tonight," Caroline smiled. Yes, and how she feared for it.

"It is a shame I will not be attending then. Perhaps another day," he said tenderly.

"I do hope so," Caroline told him sincerely, wanting nothing more than this kind man's opinion.

They talked for a little more before the waitress came back with their food. Caroline reeled in the delight her three companions brought her. The stuffiness that came with her usual company was nonexistent, and it was like she was finally getting to experience what she had so often longed for. Freedom.

But no sooner than she was feeling relaxed and comfortable, Caroline saw someone she had no intention of speaking with. It was Tyler, walking through the eatery with Mason not far behind him. Elena and Jeremy both saw the two not long after she had.

"Caroline, don't you have—" Jeremy began frantically, but was cut off by Elena.

"That place to be at?" She finished, picking up on what Jeremy was trying to do.

"Yes," Caroline nodded, finishing off the last bite of her food before standing up, "I have to be there soon. Yes, in fact, I should be there now."

"Leaving already? What a shame. I do enjoy your company. Don't be a stranger," John told her with a warm smile.

"I promise I won't be. Sorry to leave in such a rush. Elena, Jeremy, I will see you later. It was a pleasure to meet you, captain," Caroline said hurriedly, shuffling out of the café before Tyler or Mason could see that she was there.

Once she was outside, she inhaled deeply, relieved to have gotten away. The sun hit her skin with a warming touch that instantly calmed her nerves. Her hands gripped the railing tightly while she thought about her next plan of action. Where could she go? Surely they would notice that Elena and Jeremy were there without her company. Which would mean she was off on her own. And that positively couldn't be allowed. Not for their standards.

Then it hit her. She could go down to third class. Klaus would be there, right? Maybe they could talk before dinner that night. She hardly knew the man after all. It might be wise to know if he would honestly be ready or not. But then she felt as if she was making judgments before she knew him. All she knew for sure was that he had saved her life. Caroline owed him the chance to explain himself.

Checking around her, she stealthily opened the tiny gate that lead to third class. Closing it behind her as quietly as she could, Caroline stepped down the stairs. It was time for a little chat.

* * *

The third class common area was filled with people bustling about, chatting and laughing amongst themselves. Benches and tables cluttered the entire floor for people to sit on, and they were without a doubt filled. Barely a seat was available for anyone. So it was lucky that Klaus, Damon, Stefan, and Elijah had all gotten there before the crowd had. They had been able to attain a bench before anyone else could.

Elijah and Stefan were talking quietly about what was to be expected when they arrived in New York. Stefan couldn't wait to see Rebekah mostly, but he was curious about what else the city had to offer. Damon sat near Klaus, looking through the drawings that he had started since boarding Titanic. With the only excitement being his time with Caroline last night, Klaus needed something else to occupy his time. And these people were quite the inspiration.

And as for what Klaus was doing, he was teaching one of the little scoundrels aboard how to draw. Perhaps he could impart some knowledge on the young mind, so she could take something with her later in life. It might not be filled with riches, but at least she would have something to be proud of. Or maybe he was just fond of her because she shared a name with his baby sister. Either way, she had earned herself a lesson.

"And that is how you make the curls," Klaus said gently, finishing the last touches on his current piece.

"She looks pretty," the girl said sweetly.

"She is stunning, isn't she?" Klaus agreed, looking appreciatively at the picture.

"And way out of your league," Damon murmured, not looking up from the drawings in his hands.

"Don't listen to him, Becky. He's just a sour old man," Klaus whispered conspiratorially.

"More like realistic," Damon retorted, giving Klaus a side eyed glance.

Klaus rolled his eyes, returning to his work with Becky. He couldn't help that Caroline continued to remain on his mind. The way she had looked at him was mesmerizing. It had forever burned itself into his memories.

He was ready for tonight. He was ready to surprise her with the knowledge he had been given by the parents he constantly wished were never his. It turned out they had been good for something after all. But that was it. If he had the choice, he would rather not have parents who didn't care about him, than ballroom dancing lessons and proper dining etiquette.

"Have you heard from her since?" Elijah asked his little brother calmly.

"Eavesdropping are we?" Klaus teased, quirking an amused brow.

"I'm sitting right behind you," Elijah chuckled. "I can hear everything you say."

Klaus sighed. "No. I haven't seen or heard from her since last night. I'll see her tonight though."

"I believe you might see her sooner than that," Elijah said knowingly, nodding to the area behind Klaus.

Klaus' brow furrowed, and he turned around slowly. The lower deck had become silent without him realizing it, and when he saw the beautiful woman walking down the stairs, he knew why. What was she doing here? Was she lost?

Caroline's gaze searched third class, looking for someone. It had to be him, right? Did she know someone else down here? Wait, of course not. That was idiotic. Or was it?

"Oh you are so in trouble," Damon said quietly, teasing Klaus.

"I think her smile says otherwise," Stefan chuckled. "But what's she doing down here?"

"Would you morons shut it before I regret winning you a ticket?" Klaus hissed, quickly turning his attention back to the blonde haired girl coming toward him. Her small smile showed how nervous she was to be in his territory. But it also showed that she was indeed there for _him_. Right. Of course she was.

He stood up slowly, eyeing her for as long as he could. It was never for certain when he would see her again, or how long he would see her for. He needed to remember as much of her as possible.

"Mr. Mik…Klaus," she greeted him, her small smile disappearing.

"Hello, Caroline," he greeted in return. "I wasn't expecting to see you until tonight."

"Would you prefer I leave?"

"I never said that," he smirked.

Caroline looked around nervously, wringing her hands together. "Could we talk?"

"I'm listening," Klaus teased, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"I meant alone!" She huffed, rolling her eyes. "Just the two of us? Upstairs?"

"Well, I mean we just met," Klaus noted, feigning innocence. "It would be considered inappropriate, would it not?"

"You know that's not what I was implying," she scoffed, her expression eventually softening again. "I wanted to say thank you. Personally."

Klaus found himself speechless. He might as well have put his foot in his mouth. How could he deny such a request? Without any further ado, he grabbed his sketchbook from Damon's hands, and waved toward the stairs. There was no way Klaus would leave his beloved sketchbook in Damon's hand while he wasn't in the room.

"Shall we?" He asked courteously.

With a tight little grin, Caroline lead the way upstairs. This was certainly going to be interesting.

* * *

The time passed slowly as Caroline and Klaus walked on board the upper deck in silence. They had managed to avoid any unwanted attention while sneaking up there. Now the only concern was someone shooing him back below deck before she had a proper chance to speak with him. Thankfully, that didn't seem like it would happen. She was, however, not sure how to start a conversation with him. But he had already solved that problem for her too, just like he seemed to be fixing every other problem in her life, knowingly or not.

"So why did you really bring me up here?" Klaus asked her skeptically.

Caroline gave him a sideways glance. "I told you. I wanted to say thank you."

"But you did that below deck," he reminded her, sticking his hands into his pockets while his arm held tightly to a book. "So why bring me into your world?"

"Is it so hard to believe I might want to chat with you before dinner? I hardly know who you are," she retorted. Caroline was being honest. All she knew about him was that he had saved her life. While an incredible first impression, it wasn't enough.

"What is it you want to know?"

"I can ask you anything?"

"Anything you want," he smirked. "Then again, maybe not _every_ thing. I'll do my best."

Caroline sighed. Fine. She would take what she could get. "Why did you save me?"

"Did you expect me to stand by and do nothing?" He laughed, looking at her incredulously.

"Well…" Caroline trailed off, unsure of how to answer that. Klaus seemed to catch on quickly, his laugh dying out. How awkward.

"You didn't expect me to do anything," he mumbled, his brows furrowed together in confusion. Great. Now he was going to pity her.

"Nobody else did. Nobody else _would_ have. No one wants to get their hands dirty," Caroline said matter-of-factly. She wasn't anyone's concern. No one cared. At least that's what she had thought before boarding Titanic. Elena, Jeremy, and Klaus were the first people to act like she truly mattered.

"Looks like I have no choice but to stick around now," Klaus smiled. "Can't have you thinking no one cares."

Caroline quickly changed subjects. He was only saying that. He didn't mean it. Right? "So why are you aboard Titanic? What's waiting for you in New York?"

"My baby brother and sister, my next adventure…everything. England holds nothing for me anymore except bad memories."

"What happened?" Caroline asked, curious.

"My family and I never saw eye-to-eye. It became too much, so my brother came back for me. I had tried on my own, but it never worked. He was already in America, yet he understood I couldn't stay here any longer. Then when my friend and his brother joined us, it became an all out party. We won tickets, and that's what lead me here."

"Sounds like quite the experience. Sorry to hear about your family."

"It is in the past now. So let's move on to more mannered subjects."

"Like what? What is it that you wish to talk about?"

"You," he said softly, causing Caroline to turn abruptly in his direction from such honesty. "I want to talk about you. Your hopes, your dreams…I want to know everything you want out of life."

Caroline was taken aback. When was the last time anyone had ever asked her that? Nobody wanted to know what Caroline Forbes wanted to do. Everyone presumed she had the life others dreamed of having. She took the time to think about her answer. There had been many nights when she fell asleep dreaming of such hopes. There were so many things she wanted to do, so many goals she wanted to meet.

"I want to travel the world," she told him earnestly, walking over to lean against the ship's railings. "I want to create paintings like Picasso, act in a moving picture, or maybe even dance like a ballerina. I want to do something that will leave a legacy, something that will make my children proud to call me their mother."

"Those are admirable aspirations," he said appreciatively. "But you might miss your caviar. Not a food the streets offer."

"I don't even _like_ caviar! Stop assuming you know what I do and do not like! I am not as delicate as everyone believes."

"Trust me, the last thing I would ever dare to believe is that you are delicate," Klaus chuckled, shaking his head. "You're a little fireball."

"Thank you," she sighed in exasperation, pleased that he had finally gotten something right. Caroline knew what her personality was like. For too long people had tried to extinguish it, but still it lived on. "Now that we have that settled, would you mind telling me what it's like?"

"What do you mean?"

"You sound as if you've traveled the world at least twice," she told him simply, remembering how wise he had sounded the night before. Wisdom like that came from experience. "What you told me last night sounded like first hand experience. I would like to know what it's like."

"It's nothing special exactly. But the sights," he breathed, looking off toward the ocean while he reminisced. "They _are_ spectacular. Each place is a unique memory and experience. You want to draw it all, and never blink for fear you might miss something."

"Is that what you do? Draw it all so you don't forget?"

"I could never forget. They're always burned into my memory. But yes, most of my sketches make this," he said, waving the object in his hands, "a scrapbook if anything."

"That sounds wonderful," she said in awe, a little jealous of all she imagined he got to see. "I hope I will be able to do that someday."

"Why can't you now?"

"That's preposterous," she scoffed, eyeing him like he was a lunatic. "I could never."

"Why not?"

"Are you blind?! I'm soon to be married, that's why!" Caroline rolled her eyes. Of course she couldn't just pick up and leave! Not with the wedding preparations so close at hand, and certainly not with her mother breathing down her neck.

"And that is the reason you can't travel? Does your fiancé have attachment issues?"

"Oh I doubt that," she mumbled, practically sneering. "More like possessive issues if anything."

"Sounds like a match made in heaven," he said sarcastically.

"Tyler is a good man. He cares for me and loves me," she told him, trying hard to convince herself as she said it. Caroline didn't want to marry the bastard, but if she didn't remind herself of this constantly, life would be more of a living hell than it already was.

"But do you love him?"

"Excuse me?" She asked, her eyes widening.

"Do you love him?" Klaus asked again, waiting expectantly for a serious answer.

For ages she had known the answer to that, but when Klaus asked her, she wanted to slap him. What a silly question. Why did it matter if she loved him or not? Why would he ask her such a personal question? What did it say about her character if she said no?

"I don't think you have any right to be asking that," she told him, perturbed at his seemingly forward behavior.

"It was just a question," Klaus smiled. "Nothing too difficult to answer."

"But you should not be asking such prying questions of a lady," Caroline told him, flustered. "I can see it was a mistake seeing you today. Thank you for your time, Mr. Mikaelson. I will see you at dinner, and then we will part as acquaintances. Good day, sir."

As Caroline began walking off, trying to ignore the infuriating smirk Klaus wore as she did, Caroline realized that this was her part of the ship. This was for first class passengers. She shouldn't have to leave! He should be the one leaving. Caroline turned on her heels, marching right back to Klaus, and pointing a finger at his chest.

"Actually, this is my part of the ship. You should be the one to leave, not me."

"A bit pretentious, aren't we?" Klaus teased.

Caroline's mouth dropped open. "How dare you?! Is this how you treat all the women you meet?"

"I mean no disrespect," he told her honestly. "I'm only trying to know you better."

"I'm sure that was the reason," Caroline scoffed, seeing at this point she was delaying her departure. Dear lord, he might be irritating, but she wasn't ready to go yet. Caroline didn't know anything else to say that would save herself the embarrassment of explaining she wasn't all that mad. Doing the only thing she could think of, she grabbed the sketchbook from his hands and started toward one of the lounge chairs on deck. "Since you seem to want to know each other better, I might as well look at these."

"Be my guest," he said simply, trying hard not to grin. How annoyingly cute it was too.

Caroline slowly opened the book, her scrutinizing gaze looking upon each doodle and intricate drawing. She had to admit that this was not what she had been expecting. They were beautiful. Some pictures were of people who looked to be doing something on this very ship. Some were of sceneries she had never seen before. All of the pictures had been done in detail, not one of them missing an important component to make them anything short of unbelievable. The hard lines, the smooth shading…it made Caroline feel like the pieces were about to pop from the pages.

Near the end of the book, the pages became filled with more exposed women. She was taken off guard, but just like the rest, they were beautiful. A small tinge of jealousy filled her insides when it hit that Klaus would have needed models for these drawings. He would have seen numerous women in provocative positions. It must have been an erotic experience for both parties.

"These are well done," she noted, continuing to flip through pages. Occasionally, a passerby would walk near them, causing Caroline to instinctively hide the book's pictures from them. This was much too risqué for first class. Klaus only laughed when she did though, obviously not caring who saw.

"Thank you. I'm very fond of them."

"Would that be the drawings you're fond of, or the women?" She quipped.

Klaus started laughing heartily. "Undoubtedly the drawings."

"Did you ever know these women on a personal level?" She asked, trying not to be too obvious. This was, of course, nearly impossible for her.

"Now looks who's asking the personal questions. I presume you mean did I ever sleep with them?" He clarified, amused by her wonderings. "No. It was always professional on both ends."

"Some women in here are drawn more than once. Even with them it was professional?"

"There are two women in there that I drew on several occasions," he chuckled, "and I was never romantically involved with either one. That one there," he pointed, bringing Caroline's focus to a leggy girl with short, dark hair, "had beautiful hands. See? And this one here," he said, pointing to another one who looked to have lighter hair, "was fond of my drawings. I drew several for her to keep as well as for my book."

"What inspires you to draw?" Caroline asked, flipping through more pages until she had to stop and study a few unexpected ones.

The girl in question was fully clothed this time, but her hair was obviously lighter than most of his models, and in waves down her back. She was staring off into the distance in one, looking out over the ship in another, and then finally one with a small, nervous smile. It was Caroline.

"A beautiful subject," he said gently, his gaze firmly on her. Caroline had to swallow a large lump in her throat. That was probably the most flattering compliment she had ever received. Which wasn't saying much, considering she had only been with a couple of men before Tyler. Should she be feeling such butterflies in her stomach now?

"These are…I don't know what to say. They're gorgeous. I didn't realize this is what I looked like to others. Surely it isn't," she said in disbelief.

"I don't know about others, but it is how you look to me. If I may be so bold as to say so," he smiled.

"You remembered all of this just from our meeting last night?"

"Every detail. It's become rather easy to memorize and read people from since dedicating myself to my work. I feel it necessary to capture not only their appearance, but their personality as well. You want everything in the portrait. You want it to come to life."

Caroline grinned. "Oh? Well, since you have depicted my appearance as such, what can you tell me about myself?"

Klaus took a good look at her. She tried to stop grinning, but the pictures he had drawn were stunning. To think her personality must have matched warmed her insides. No one had ever taken the time to try and read her before.

"I don't think you would have jumped," he deadpanned.

Caroline's face fell, and she shoved the book back into his hands. She should have guessed.

Standing up, she strolled back over to the railing to lean against it. The sky was darkening at this point. She hadn't realized it was getting so late. Soon, it would be time for them to attend dinner. But she was enjoying their conversation too much. She didn't want to leave, despite his last snarky comment.

"I know what you're thinking, 'spoiled rich girl must not have gotten what she wanted, and she's just being dramatic, craving attention'."

"I was more concerned with what would make you want to jump in the first place," he said sincerely. "Your misfortunes are no small matter."

Her eyes flicked to his, unsure of whether to divulge anything of importance to him. So many emotions kept running through her. But the obvious choice was at the forefront of her mind. Caroline had to tell him. She wanted to tell him. Why lie to someone who genuinely cared about her feelings.

"I don't, you know. I don't love him," she said sadly, looking out to the ocean. The wind blew slightly against her face, bringing with her the sense of tranquility she always searched for. "I don't want to marry him."

"Why are you then?" Klaus asked, moving to stand next to her.

"Why else? For the money, and the security of a comfortable future. So my mother doesn't become a lonely old woman, and I a ruined lady. My father passed away, and left us with nothing more than our last name." Caroline looked around, and lowered her voice before speaking quietly to Klaus. "I am not rich, you see. But if I am married to Tyler, I can still uphold our status."

"That seems like an awful reason to marry someone," he whispered back to her. "And quite a lot to carry on your shoulders."

"No one said it was ever fair. But it is my duty."

"It's your duty to marry someone you love," Klaus told her. They still whispered so that only the two of them could hear the conversation. "What if you were to find the man you were supposed to marry after your wedding with Tyler? What would you do then?"

"Tell him that I am a married woman, and that we could be nothing more than friends," Caroline said with certainty.

"What if you met him before you were married?" Klaus asked softly, staring intently at her. "What would you say then?"

Caroline tried answering, but no words came out. She forced herself to look away; otherwise she would begin to mistake his eyes for the ocean she had come to love. A cheesy thought that almost made her blush on the spot. It was absurd. She couldn't fall in love with someone before her wedding with Tyler. Love needed time to grow. It couldn't just happen overnight, or appear out of thin air. That kind of love was left for the storybooks, not reality.

Still, she couldn't seem to make herself tell that to Klaus. "I don't know. I doubt I will ever find out either."

"Love comes in many forms," he said slyly.

Caroline's eyes widened. Was he insinuating what she thought he was? "If the only reason you saved me was to try and get in my good favors, then you are—"

"Hold on now!" Klaus interjected, looking slightly offended at her accusation. "Do you really think that low of me?"

"Should I?" She retorted. "I don't know if you're capable of such treachery."

"I am capable of many things, love…but I would never do _that_. It's important you know I didn't want to see you die."

"Okay," she said slowly, nodding her head. "I believe you. But don't ever make me regret trusting you. Understand?" Klaus crossed his finger over his heart, smiling. "Good."

"Are we friends again?" He asked coyly, appearing to be reluctant to ask her such a question. It only made her giggle.

"Friends. In fact, we will have to get together after the ship docks I think. Perhaps there is an adventure to have in New York before my wedding," she smirked, raising an eyebrow playfully. She may not be able to travel the world, but that didn't mean she could have one last adventure before the big commitment.

"I could easily agree to that. You pick. It can be whatever you want to do. I'm all too happy to go along for the ride."

Caroline brightened up at this. Her choice? She got to pick? Her face broke out into a wide smile, going over all the possible activities they could do. She thought about all the joys she wanted to experience, but had never been able to. The list had become quite extensive over the years. "Well, first off, we would have to—"

"Caroline? Why are you still outside, and not getting ready for dinner?" A familiar voice called to her. When Caroline turned around, she saw her mother with a gaggle of women following close behind her. Oh wonderful.

"Hello to you too, mother," Caroline greeted. She waved to Klaus, not being able to help the smile that formed. "By the way, this is Klaus, the man who saved me last night. Klaus, this is my mother."

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance," Klaus said sweetly.

"Charmed," Liz said dryly, not bothering to shake his hand. Caroline could have strangled her mother. Whether she cared about her daughter or not, should Liz not be happy that her meal ticket was still alive? For god's sake, if nothing else, Klaus had saved the marriage she had worked so hard to get her daughter. The least she could do is thank the man.

The other women, however, were more receptive to Klaus. Including Lexi who was surprisingly in mother's company. They all wanted to know about the man who had pulled Caroline back over. Her mother could be counted on to act more interested in her arrival to dinner though, rather than her daughter's rescuer.

After a few minutes of talking and getting to know the other women, Caroline had to part ways with Klaus. They never got to finish their conversation, but she supposed that would be something to do at dinner. As her mother and the other women began to drag her away back toward the room, she looked behind her to get one last look at Klaus. He gave her a reassuring grin, and a little wink too. She smiled, turning back around to focus on where she was going.

Oh the things she had to tell Elena about. Dinner was starting to sound better by the second.

* * *

Klaus watched as Caroline walked off with the other women. They had been friendly enough, but Klaus couldn't be for sure if it was an act or not. All he knew was that one of them was standing there with him still. The girl seemed young, and like she was expecting him to do a jig. He raised an eyebrow, staring at her suspiciously.

"May I help you?" He asked bitingly, not liking how she eyed him up and down.

"Do you know what you're doing for tonight?" She sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean do you know what you're wearing, what your story is, and how in the hell you aim to please these high society folks?" She snapped back. Klaus narrowed his eyes. Who was this woman?

"No, no, and hell no," Klaus spat back. "Who are you anyway? Why do you care?"

"Alexia Branson, the woman who is going to help you win the girl. I would be nice to me," she said, smirking smugly as she began walking away. "Follow me. We need to get you ready."

"Why are you helping me?" Klaus asked, falling in step beside her. No point in declining her offer. Since being kicked out, it wasn't like he had any of his old suits on hand. Perhaps she knew how to find him one.

"Tyler Lockwood has left a bad taste in my mouth. It's painfully obvious there's a spark between you two. It wasn't that hard deciding which side to help. My late husband, god rest his soul, was probably around your size. I'm sure I have some suits that would fit you. As for your unpleasant behavior, no time in the world could fix that."

"How about you worry over the suit, and let me take care of my manners." Klaus could have socked the woman, but at least she was helping. He was no novice when it came to elegant dinners. Despite what everyone probably pegged him as, he was quite the charmer when it came to such high-class standards.

But there was at least one thing he could agree with Lexi on. And that was that he would win the girl. He was Klaus Mikaelson. Compared to Tyler Lockwood, how could he not?

* * *

**A/N: Thank you guys so much for sticking with me. And a big thank you to Amy and Becky for constantly motivating me. Also to lucillija for the manips! =]**

**See you guys next chapter!  
**


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